Official opening at 8:00pm, Thursday 21 April at the Hyatt Regency Perth, by Eric Ripper, Leader of the Opposition and SF Geek. Open all Easter weekend, from 9:00am to 6:00pm.

Natcon Fifty will host ʻFuture Imperfect: Exploring the future from the pastʼ, a semi-professional art show to be held over the Easter weekend in 2011 in Perth, Western Australia.

ʻFuture Imperfect: Exploring the future from the pastʼ will explore the way people have historically imagined our present, bringing the past and the future together in new and interesting ways.

Download the catalogue (pdf)

Sandy Gaskett
Gas Bomb Girl | Facebook page

Jenna Downing
Evil Genius in Residence

Kathleen Jennings
Tanaudel

Christopher Phillips
Catalogue

Lisa Rye
Lisa Rye

Pia Van Ravestein
Ravenari | Gallery

Gaston Locanto
Gallery

Kathryn Linge
Website

Christina Lorenz
Gallery

Nancy Lorenz
Gallery

Please direct any enquiries about the show to Amanda

Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty: it’s quite a mouthful and a lot of history. We’re so glad that we have the opportunity to host the fiftieth Australian Natcon at this year’s Swancon. Perth has hosted nine of them already, and we’re ready to make this one the best so far.

Take a look at our program, and I think you’ll agree it’s pretty awesome! There will be lots to do, see, hear and say. Whether you’re in the mood to listen to presentations from writers, editors, artists and academics; debate ideas with other fans of speculative fiction; network and socialise with guests and members in one of the Hyatt’s many bars and cafes; or just spend time in our fabulous dealers room and fan lounge; there will always be something for you to do.

Remember that Thursday night is free! So bring a friend or two and see what Swancon has to offer.

Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty is all about fandom, and the fans. We’re holding a party in your honour – all you have to do is show up and have fun. We’ve compiled a short summary of what’s on offer. There will be more announcements as we go, so be sure to keep an eye on our rss feed, or our Twitter feed (@natcon50) for more exciting updates and news throughout the year.

But first, the basics:

21-25 April 2011
Hyatt Hotel, Adelaide Tce, Perth

From the moment you receive your membership card, the kind folks at Planet Books and Fantastic Planet have offered to give you 10% off all the books you buy – valid until 25 April 2011. You really can’t afford not to sign up!

Until 20 April 2011, membership of Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty will be $210, or $155 for students and concession card holders. On Thursday 21 April prices will be $250 / $185. You can buy day memberships for $70 per day, or $50 student/concession. Supporting memberships are $20.

You can purchase memberships online, at Planet Books, Fantastic Planet, White Dwarf, Empire Toys, Quality Comics, Tactics and Tokyo Underground, or in person from Swancon Thirty Six committee members.

Become a member of Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty today!

See our program here.

Swancon, in the Freshwater Bay room on Sunday the 24th of April, 9:30am.

Agenda:
0A. Last call for nominations for the Board of WASFF
0B. Last call for bids for the WARSFC (i.e. Swancon) for 2013

Meeting opens.

1. Apologies
2. Consideration of Minutes of the previous AGM
3. Matters arising from the previous AGM
4. Reports
Chairman
Treasurer
Administrator
Convention Steering Committee Co-ordinator
SwanCon 35 2010
SwanCon 36 2011
Swancon 37 2012
5. Appointment of Auditor
6. Appointment of a Returning Officer
7. Election of Organising Committee of the Western Australian Science
Fiction Convention (SwanCon 38 2013)
8. Election of Members of the board of WASFF (3 elected positions)
9. Motions on Notice
9.1. That the following regulation be added:
11 Board members
11.1 Candidates for board positions shall disclose to the AGM whether they have any criminal convictions and whether they have been bankrupt.
9.2. That clauses 6.11 – 6.11.3 inclusive of the constitution be repealed as no longer applicable.
9.3. That the following be adopted as regulations: Appointment of and Replacement of Convention Organising Committee Members — see attachment for full wording.
10. General Business

Bids for Swancon 2013 must received by the WASFF chair (me) before the start of the meeting. Guidelines and a bid form are available.

Nominations for the 3 elected positions on the WASFF board must be received by the WASFF chair (me) before the start of the meeting.

If you’d like to see the existing constitution, regulations and by-laws, they’re at http://wasff.sf.org.au/constitution

When looking up numbers, remember that numbering restarts for each of the three sections, so be sure to look at the correct 6.11 (or whatever).

– Doug Burbidge http://dougburbidge.com/ ph. 04 2293 7176

Appointment of and Replacement of Convention Organising Committee Members

WASFF AGM minutes 2010-04-05

The draft Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty program is now online. While we are making every effort to make sure all details are correct, we cannot guarantee that items won’t change. We also have plenty of space for last minute program ideas, so if the mood strikes and you want to organise something, we’ll help provide you with space to do it.

Contact us any time in the lead-up to the convention, or speak to a committee member once you arrive.

View the full program, or see each day individually: Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Monday

Image from here

We have heaps of books to give away on the night thanks to Harper Collins, as well as passes to Paul [Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) reunite for this comedy adventure. As two sci-fi geeks whose pilgrimage takes them to America’s UFO heartland, they encounter a wisecracking alien and help him on a daredevil quest that will alter our universe forever. In cinemas April 14.]

Swancon Comedy Fundraiser

The Velvet Lounge, 639 Beaufort St Mt Lawley
7:30pm Thursday 31 March
$20 per head

RSVP to: ThirtySix@swancon.com.au or at Facebook, and download a pdf flyer and bring your friends.

Pay now via Paypal:

7:30pm on Sunday 24 April 2011 in the Hyatt Regency Perth.

Thanks to our very kind sponsors, Orbit Australia and Gollancz Australia, members of Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty are invited to attend a cocktail party before the presentation of awards for the best works of science fiction and fantasy for 2010, including:

The Swancon Thirty Six Tin Ducks
The Natcon Fifty Ditmar Awards
The 2011 Norma K Hemming Award
Peter McNamara Achievement Award
and more…

GOLLANCZ AUSTRALIA on Facebook

ORION AUSTRALIA on Facebook

Back in the days of yore…

Ok, back in about 1997 or 1998, my agent, who lives in UK, told me I should start going to science fiction conventions now that I had my first book accepted for publication. I said, ‘Conventions? What are they?’

She explained, and it all seemed rather strange and alien. I couldn’t imagine me, all alone, rolling up to a place where I knew no one and no one knew me – and not just for one day, either. For several days, and at great expense, seeing as I live in Malaysia where there is no such event.

Yeah, well, I’ve come a long way since then. Once I got the hang of this thing called the internet*, I investigated and it all seemed intriguing. So I decided I’d give one a try. I timed a visit to Perth to see my sister with the Easter holidays, then twisted her arm to come with me for the first day of Swancon 2004. Fortunately she’s an ex teacher-librarian with a love of SF/F, and she was happy to oblige.

No one knew who I was, my first Oz published books were not long out, but I was welcomed, shoved onto panels, met a whole slew of terrific people many of whom are still friends, and generally had a ball. Tim Powers was the main guest, and was totally delightful. I still remember his GoH speech.

I was hooked for life. I’ve loved cons ever since. Donna Hanson somehow got me to go from Perth to Canberra for Conflux 2004 immediately afterwards. That was the first time I met Russell Kirkpatrick… The main GoH was Greg Benson. I went back the next year to another Swancon (Charles de Lint was the main guest). Even now, I still haven’t got over being on the same panel with famous writers.

In 2008 I was totally gobsmacked to be asked to Swancon as their Australian GoH. I was incredibly moved to have my hometown ask me back as a guest. Even more fabulously, the international GoH was Ken McLeod, and writer Rob Shearman of Dr Who fame was a guest as well. What a great con.

So, above you have several reasons to go to a SF Con, especially ones in Perth.

Reason No 1: You have a ball
Reason No 2: They have fabulous guests
Reason No 3: You make lifelong friends
Reason No 4: You can end up on panels — or attend them

I’ve been to other Australian conventions since: Continuum 2005 in Melbourne, which had one of the funniest debates I’ve ever heard — after all how can you go wrong with Neil Gaiman, Russell Kirkpatrick and Kim Wilkins (Lord, how could ANYONE ever forget her speech???), Poppy Z.Brite and Richard Harland taking sides on the subject of whether humans are creatures natural or unnatural…

Reason No 5: Writers are often also very witty speakers…

Most of that con I actually spent with the Harper Voyager and their authors, including Robin Hobb. I think that was the time I first met author Karen Miller, whom I now count a very special friend. Then there was Natcon/Convergence in Melbourne in 2007, which was where I first met Dave Freer, who was one of the guests, and was later enticed back to Oz to live.

Reason No 6: You meet some of your favourite authors…

And in the meantime I was also investigating my first Worldcon, in Glasgow in 2005, and my second in Denver in 2008, my third in Melbourne last year.

So, if you live in Oz and aren’t going to Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty – the 50th Natcon, by the way – why not? Come to think of it, you don’t have to live in Oz to go. I don’t.

See here for more info. It’s 21st-25th April (Easter) 2011. And I am one of a whole stack of invited guests. Don’t miss it.
__________________
.
*I was a very early user of a PC — Apple IIe anyone? — but came somewhat late to the internet.

Swancon Comedy Fundraiser

The Velvet Lounge, 639 Beaufort St Mt Lawley
7:30pm Thursday 31 March
$20 per head

RSVP to: ThirtySix@swancon.com.au or at Facebook, and download a pdf flyer to tell your friends.

Pay now via Paypal:

A full colour A5 size glossy booklet with programming timetable and other essential information for con-goers will provide you with a guaranteed audience for your advertisement.

Prices are as follows:
Outside Back Cover (148mm X 210mm plus bleed): $250
Inside Front Cover (148mm X 210mm plus bleed): $150
Full Page (148mm X 210mm plus bleed): $100
Half Page (148mm X 100mm plus bleed): $60

You can provide your own print-ready artwork, or talk to us about a reasonable rate for design. For more information, send us an email.

If you want to sell your product or service at the convention, why not book a table in our dealers room.

Ad Size

Outside Back Cover $250.00 Inside Front Cover $150.00 Full Page $100.00 Double Page Spread $200.00 Half Page $60.00